The on-air set of a clownish financial TV guru is invaded by an armed young man angry at losing all his money in a now-worthless fund the guy recommended.

The satire is campy (we are not made mad as hell), the drama is shaky, and the thriller aspects implausible. But somehow director Jodie Foster manages to pull it all together into an amiable whole that’s more entertaining than it has a right to be. It’s briskly paced, and having George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Jack O’Connell doing the acting doesn’t hurt. Nor does the topical nature of the plot. But don’t be expecting The Big Short or Network. (98 min)